Iran versus Honduras -Coverage in the Media

by pat c Fri Aug 28, 2009 18:59

Heres a radio piece on how the coup has adversely affected women in Honduras. You can listen to the show at the link.

Some organisations are worried that the unstable political situation in Honduras could be setting back the welfare of its women. The Central America Women's Network has expressed concern about the interim administration, contending that feminist organisations oppose the recent coup; they believe that many women are now suffering as workers, family carers and victims of violence because of a 'breakdown in the rule of law'. Jane hears from the BBC's correspondent in Central America, Stephen Gibbs, and also from Katherine Ronderos from the Central America Women's Network based in London.

by Tariq Fri Aug 28, 2009 18:44

The secret burial of demonstraters is now being investigated by Iranian MPs.

Iran MPs to probe 'mass burials'

A member of a parliamentary committee reportedly says it is investigating claims of a mass burial of protesters after Iran's disputed June election.

Last week, a reformist website said "tens" of people had been interred in anonymous graves at a Tehran cemetery.

"Parliament is investigating a rumour about a mass burial of post-vote detainees," Hamidreza Katouzian told the official Irna news agency.

At least 30 people died in clashes with security forces after the election.

The largest mass opposition demonstrations in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution were sparked by allegations of widespread fraud in the presidential election, which saw the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared the winner by a landslide.

Earlier this month, one of the defeated opposition candidates, Mehdi Karroubi, called for an investigation into allegations that protesters had been raped in prison, and some even beaten to death. Officials have strenuously denied both accusations.

In a report published last week, Norooz - the news website of the opposition Islamic Iran Participation Front - said that "tens of unnamed and unknown people" had been buried in the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in Tehran last month.

It said 28 burial permissions had been issued without names about a month after the election, in July, for section 302 of the cemetery, followed by another 16 three days later.

Mr Katouzian initially reacted to the allegation on Sunday by saying: "If anyone has any evidence, they can submit it to the Majlis [parliament]."

"There are a lot of rumours these days. Everyone can set up a website and post such reports on their websites," he said. "We cannot start an investigation based on rumours and speculation."

But on Tuesday, the Tehran MP said his parliamentary committee was now looking into the alleged mass burials and had contacted "relevant officials", who would provide a thorough report on the issue.

"We cannot confirm or deny the case at the current time and if it is needed we will visit Behesht-e Zahra," Irna quoted him as saying.

On Monday, the cemetery's manager reportedly said talk of a mass burial was "rumours".

Mahmoud Rezaiyan told AFP news agency: "In recent days we have not received any unidentified body and we were not forced to issue burial permits either. The report that there are mass graves is not true."

Norooz insists its report is correct and promised on Sunday to release "pictures and videos" of the anonymous graves within days.

The website also said the "people of Tehran can go and visit the graves, which are in the newer parts of the cemetery".

by Tariq Thu Aug 27, 2009 17:57

Here is the url I neglected to add.

http://links.org.au/node/1127

by Tariq Thu Aug 27, 2009 17:54

Here Billy Wharton writes on how Ahmadinejad stole the election and how he has oppressed the Iranian workers since he took power in 2005. I highly reccomend this article, the rest of it may be found at the url below.

Selling Iran: Ahmadinejad, privatisation and a bus driver who said `no'

A creeping assumption lies just beneath the surface of arguments concerning the disputed election in Iran. Incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is cast as an anti-US populist crusader resisting the materialistic advances of the West. His opponent, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, as his foil – a Western-backed liberal intent on implementing free-market policies. Violent street battles have been presented as a reinforcement of the Western disposition to see the two idealised positions as the limit of what is politically imaginable. Such arguments conveniently avoid a third force – the people of Iran, whose street politics threaten to move well beyond the confines of the electoral campaigns. Questions remain. Is Ahmadinejad really a populist – the only force preventing a wave of pro-market policies in Iran? Does Mousavi’s campaign mark the limits of the reform movement?

Since his election in 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, under the guidance of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei, has overseen a regime dedicated to the privatisation of state-controlled industries. The intention of the regime, as stated by the newly appointed governor of the Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyyed Shams Al-din Hosseini, is to privatise 80% of state-owned industries by 2010. This mandate was made real just prior to the disputed election as a state-owned bank, Saderat, announced it would offer 6% of its shares to private investors (Press TV, 6/8/09). Other significant privatisations during Ahmadinejad’s reign include the postal service, two other state-run banks (Tejerat and Mellat) and, in February 2008, a 5% bloc of shares in the publicly owned steel maker, Foulad-e Mobarakeh, was sold out in eight minutes (Iran Daily, 2/14/08). In total, since 2005, 247 enterprises have been processed by the Iran Privatization Organization, the state ministry specifically charged with overseeing privatisations (Iranian Privatization Organization website).

by Tariq Thu Aug 27, 2009 15:18

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rubbished the claims that opposition proteters were working as agents of the West. Heres an extract, the rest is at the url.

Iran's supreme leader says he has seen no proof that opposition leaders blamed for the post-election unrest were agents of foreign powers. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments contradict accusations which have frequently been made by hardliners.

A number of senior opposition figures are currently on trial in Tehran accused of conspiring with foreign powers to organise unrest. But the ayatollah appears to be trying to reduce tensions, say correspondents.

"I do not accuse the leaders of the recent incidents to be subordinate to the foreigners, like the United States and Britain, since this issue has not been proven for me," said Ayatollah Khamenei, in a statement read out on Iranian television.

Another senior cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, has attacked the actions of Iran's ruling elite.

"The biggest oppression ... is despotic treatment of the people in the name of Islam," said Ayatollah Montazeri in a statement posted on his website.

"I hope the responsible authorities give up the deviant path they are pursuing and restore the trampled rights of the people."

by Jose Martie Sun Aug 23, 2009 01:25

There is an article in the LA Time detailing what they call the 'high powered interests' behind the Honduran coup.